Potential Potions
by Lily Ryann
Summary: He never could brew anything right, he was worse than Uncle Neville according to his dad. In class, they were brewing amortentia, James thought it was hogwash until it was his turn in the queue to take a sniff. He smelled the sweet scent of lavender and at the same time, the musky scent of leather. A curious combination, who would smell like lavender and leather? He asked himself


Potential Potions

James Sirius Potter was a good student, almost the top of the class, in everything but potions. He never could brew anything right, he was worse than Uncle Neville according to his dad. So James studied all summer long and managed to scrape by and get into Advanced Potions, conditionally of course, seventh year.

This class, they were brewing amortentia, the strongest love potion in the Wizarding World. The potion was unique, each person was said to be able smell the scent that attracted them the most. James thought it was hogwash until it was his turn in the queue to take a sniff. He smelled the sweet scent of lavender and at the same time, the musky scent of leather. _A curious combination, who would smell like lavender and leather? _He asked himself.

He was almost to his seat when it hit him- lavender and leather. He turned to see Lily Ryann sitting with her nose in a book, her chestnut hair falling like a curtain on the side of her face. She was a quiet girl, James wouldn't have known her if it wasn't for the fact that she was the seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Other than that, she was a ghost to him. She was the shyest Gryffindor, never speaking out really other to answer questions, quietly, in class and she never stayed out for the parties after a Quidditch win. She was a teacher's pet, beating James in every subject. She wasn't like the girls James talked to, who were bimbos but made up in snogging for their lack of brains. Sensing that someone was watching her, she stilled and looked up, her jade eyes wide.

Seeing James standing there, she swallowed. "Captain," she practically whispered, nodding her head at him. Lily turned back to her book. James had never noticed how pretty she was- jade eyes, long legs, silky hair falling to her hips, high cheekbones, and full lips. James shook his head, he, James Potter, was attracted to bookworm Lily? _Lovely Lily,_ his brain corrected him. He watched her the rest of class.

She worked gracefully, each movement precise and intentional. He chuckled to himself as her eyes lit up at the professor's praise for her perfect potion. But that happiness was replaced with hurt as two other girls in their class loudly laughed and whispered about her. James watched as Lily ducked her head down and stared at a page in her potions book. The moment the bell rang, Lily was out of the door, much to the amusement of the other two girls.

"Shut up," James growled at them as her ran out to chase after her.

But when James looked around, Lily had vanished. He searched through his bag until he found a rather ancient piece of parchment. Finding a secluded corner, he whispered to it and watched as it came to life. He opened the map and quickly scanned it, searching for her name. After looking for several moments, James spotted her name by a portrait, but as suddenly as he saw it, her name disappeared. James whispered once more to the map and shoved it back into his bag and took off running.

Reaching the portrait, barely huffing due to all of the quidditch practices, James observed it, feeling around the side of the frame until he came across a latch. He pulled the portrait open a crack to reveal a beautiful bedroom and Lily, curled up fast asleep, her head resting on the window sill. James opened the door wider and stepped in, closing the portrait behind him. "Ryann," he whispered gently. Receiving no response, James approached her cautiously and sat down next to her. He could see that her nose was red and she had dried tear tracks running down the sides of her porcelain cheeks. He smoothed her hair from her face, his fingers revelling in the soft silky strands. _Could this be love? _He asked himself. James' heart sped up at the though. Love, who'd have know that he, the loudest boy in the class, could be in love with the shyest Gryffindor Hogwarts had ever known? _LOVE! BLOODY HELL! _James' mind shouted. Pressing a feather-light kiss to her forehead, James stood up. Looking back at her fragile figure once more, James left the beautiful room.

James walked back to the Gryffindor Tower, lost in his thoughts. The fact that he was in love with Lily had hit him like a ton of bricks. James suddenly formed a plan, and a ruddy brilliant one at that. He ran up to his dorm and gathered his quidditch plans, James wasn't going to just win the House Cup, but, hopefully, Lily's heart as well.

"Chaser Potter, passes to Weasley, he feints right and…scores! 200-30, Gryffindor!" Mia Jordan (daughter of Lee Jordan) shouted.

"Rose, Al, left feint next!" James shouted to his two fellow chasers, who happened to be his cousin and younger brother, respectively.

"Gryffindor scores again, 210-30!"

"Fred!" James yelled. "Guard Lily, I don't want any bludgers near her!"

"Right!" Fred bellowed back.

"Vangriff's spotted the snitch! Ryann, hot on his tail…they're neck in neck!" Mia's voice carried throughout the pitch. "And-" Mia's sentence was cut off as she screamed.

Everyone in the quidditch pitch was screaming as Lily fell through the sky, the teachers all furiously trying to slow her fall. James' heart was in his throat as he raced towards her. _She can't die, Merlin, not when she doesn't know I love her!_ He flew faster, desperate to save her. And as she plummeted, the ground growing closer to her, James swooped her up into his arms.

He held on to her as if his life depended on it, "Don't you ever do that again," he growled. "That's an order." Lifting his head from her hair, he looked down at her.

"I caught it Captain," and she opened her palm to reveal the bloody snitch. James opened his mouth and laughed, and laughed some more.

"Merlin, I love you!" he told her and seeing her shocked expression, he laughed again and kissed her, full on the lips as the floated back down to the ground.

"Gryffindor wins!"

James sat there in his living room, a few years after Hogwarts, flipping through the pages of a photo album of their seventh year. Upon reaching a certain photo, he laughed aloud and called out, "Darling, come look at this!"

"What is it dear?" his wife called from the other end of the house.

"Come look at this!" not hearing her coming, he ran to their room, and grabbing her hand, pulled her down to the living room and plopped her down on the sofa next to him.

"Honestly James!"

"Look," and he handed her the album.

"Oh, oh James!" and she laughed, her green eyes bright.

"Merlin, I love you," he told her.

"Can't think of anything better to say after all these years?" she teased.

"You and I both know you were always the smart one," he teased back.

And she laughed, shaking her head at her husband's antics. And together they watched the picture replay that perfect moment of the House Cup their seventh year, James throwing his head back to laugh at her wide eyes and open mouth and then kissing her in front of everyone.

Lily looked at James, his hazel eyes warm and his dark hair still sticking every which way, "Good thing we had to brew that potion."

"You know, I never did ask you what you smelled," James admitted.

"Spiced cider, mint, and leather," Lily said smiling.

James looked at her, "Did you know it was me?"

She sighed, "Yes, I'd liked you since first year, James. Of course I knew who!"

"I was terribly oblivious, wasn't I?" he asked her.

"Yes, and a right git too, making us practice in that rain storm fifth year!"

"Oi!"

They laughed and teased each other as they looked at the rest of their memories from seventh year. And they would continue to do it, for many years to come.

A note from the author:

Dear readers,

I'm so sorry I haven't written anything in forever, I feel like I've been drowning in homework since August. But I'm back! Here's a little one shot that sort of popped into my head a while ago that bloomed into this this morning. Lily's personality in this story is really more like me; I'm the "pines from afar" type of girl who is completely shy when it comes to boys. Ah, oh well, maybe I'll find my James one day…but until then, I can write my own little happy one shots that are full of fluff and all that good stuff.

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you! Please review, follow, and maybe, possibly favorite? Love you to the moon and back!

Love always,

xx Lily


End file.
